Inbox Talks

with Steve O’Hear, TechCrunch

Veselina Gerova
Revue

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Not enough people are talking about email. Or newsletters for that matter. We want to change that. That’s how the idea for those “talks” series was born.

Steve O’Hear is one of our top users that truly understands the potential that personal newsletters hold. That’s why he also regularly curates his own digest which is about the latest pieces he’s been working on and some other thoughts he includes, which are spread out through the opening and closing parts of each issue. Currently a writer for TechCrunch, Steve is focused on the world of tech and has valuable insights to share with the rest of us. We couldn’t resist to reach out and ask him all about his views on email and newsletters and we couldn’t be more ecstatic that he agreed to be part of our series!

Please, tell us a bit about yourself!

I’m best-known as a technology journalist, and currently write for TechCrunch, a leading global technology news site where I focus on European startups, companies and products.

In addition to TechCrunch, I’ve written for numerous other publications, including ZDNet (where I wrote the well-respected blog ‘The Social Web’), The Guardian, Macworld, and ReadWriteWeb.

I also wrote and directed the critically acclaimed Silicon Valley documentary ‘In Search of the Valley‘, which was released in September 2006.

I’ve ‘done a startup,’ too, co-founding the London and Prague-based startup Beepl. In my role as CEO, I helped the company raise its first VC round, along with seeing the Question & Answer site through development, and a high profile public launch. Beepl was acquired by Brand Embassy in November 2012.

Outside of journalism, my first love is music. I used to be in quite a serious band that came close to an independent record deal in the 90's, but at the turn of the century, the dream ended, the band split and I inadvertently retired from music. I took it quite badly as a band is like a second family. However, over the last year I’ve rebooted my home studio and, together with several of my original band members and a few new faces, I’m writing and producing an album. The time just felt right.

Why did you decide to start a newsletter?

I’ve always been a fan of newsletters and am old enough to remember some great ones from the early days of the Internet, before blogging and other forms of social media became a thing.

Starting one of my own was something I’d taken a look at a few times over the last few years but was put off by the newsletter tools then available and the commitment I knew it would take to write a decent one.

However, as a writer, sometimes I have things I want to say that don’t fit the publication I write for or are too insider-y or need more than 140 characters. The newsletter format and distribution model seemed a good model for that type of content.

What is the goal of your newsletter?

The first goal is to build a more personal connection with readers. I already pride myself on being one of the more accessible and least aloof journalists online, and a newsletter format where I invite all subscribers to hit reply, seemed like a great extension of this.

I wanted to pull the curtain back a little on the process of tech journalism (and other aspects of the tech industry), which I think lots of people don’t fully understand. In an era of so-called ‘fake news’ and where trust of the media is at an all time low, this has become a bit of a personal mission.

There’s also a direct payoff: the more readers, many of whom are also sources, understand the way I operate and what motivates me and my coverage, the better I’ll be able to do my job.

The newsletter also lets subscribers get links to everything I’ve written each week sent direct to their inbox. That in itself is reason enough for some readers to subscribe.

How do you create your newsletter?

Aside from links to my TechCrunch articles, which are automatically pulled in via Revue’s RSS feature, the newsletter has two main sections: an opening thought (the week’s main theme, news item or talking point) and a closing thought that is usually shorter and sometimes more lighthearted.

Both of these sections often just come to me naturally by the time I’m poised to write ‘Steve’s ITK’, based on whatever has gone on that week or I’ve already been thinking about or have read elsewhere. Other times I struggle to have something worth saying or have to pull a rabbit out of the hat right at the very last minute. Occasionally, I’ll skip a week if I feel the quality would dip too much or if I have no time, which isn’t ideal.

I also make use of Revue’s bookmarklet to save articles on the web as inspiration for future editions of the newsletter.

The best part about preparing the content each week is when I’ll hear an industry rumor, join up a few dots or have a funny thought and think, ‘this isn’t enough for an article but is perfect for the newsletter’.

Knowing that lots of influential tech industry people are already subscribers, including a number of journalists at rival publications, keeps it especially fun.

How many subscribers do you have?

Over 350 but growing nicely. Those include startup founders, lots of investors and VCs, employees at major tech companies, journalists, and, of course, a few public relations people.

I definitely favor quality over quantity in terms of what conversations come from the content I produce and who subscribes. In its short existence, the newsletter has already led to some decent news tips and a better understanding of topics I cover.

How does your audience respond to your newsletter?

Feeback has been great, people seem to really enjoy reading it. This can be seen through good open rates and the fact that I don’t think there has been a single week when somebody hasn’t hit reply. Subscribers seem to like the format too, especially its brevity. My writing style has always been one that doesn’t waste words and I’m always respectful of readers’ time.

What does the future look like for Steve’s ITK?

More of the same. When I started, I had no idea how long I’d keep it up. If readers keep reading (and replying), I’ll likely keep writing.

Are there any tips you’d like to share with our readers as to how they can make their newsletter better?

Have something to say and try to offer content or curation that readers won’t find elsewhere. Also, I think the newsletter format, which intrudes on a person’s inbox, requires a particular kind of content and relationship with readers to reflect that. The medium really is the message.

You share personal stories and lessons in your digest. Do you think this helps with creating a more meaningful connection with your readers?

Yes I do. I’m a pretty open person anyway, but, with that said, the stuff I share in the newsletter (and to a certain degree, Twitter too) is quite deliberate. I want my own experiences to make readers think or to encourage a particular line of inquiry that they might not have pursued before or can relate to. But it also goes back to what I said above about being accessible. Being a little vulnerable in my writing is a great leveler for the writer-reader relationship.

Which personal newsletters do you read yourself?

I subscribe to Bob Lefsetz’s Lefsetz Letter, which I was quoted in once too. I also read Azeem Azhar’s The Exponential View, although I’m slightly jealous of how many subscribers Azeem has. Another newsletter I love is Emily Hier’s ‘Nugget,’ which covers pop culture with wit and just enough snark for my liking.

How do you see the future of email in general?

It’s the medium that doesn’t seem to want to die.

And then we asked some questions about Revue!

How did you become a Revue user?

A few Twitter followers recommended Revue and it was basically what I had been thinking of building myself because I was frustrated with existing tools. I really needed a way to add an RSS feed of existing content to automate the most tedious aspects of including all the articles I’ve written each week.

What has been the biggest perk of using Revue for you?

Better conversations.

Did you like what you just read? If so, show us by clicking the little orange heart underneath!

Inbox Talks” is a series of interviews that were born to give you some inspiration for your own digest or to show what people have to say about email. Stay tuned for our next session :)

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(Social) media fanatic. Previously content & social @revue; @iampopin. TNW contributor. @vdgerova